


seventeen years and not a single ringringring

by soliari



Category: Kamen Rider Blade
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2010-09-11
Updated: 2010-09-11
Packaged: 2017-10-11 16:24:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/114337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soliari/pseuds/soliari
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kenzaki calls.</p>
            </blockquote>





	seventeen years and not a single ringringring

**Author's Note:**

> If Hajime feels weird, speak unto me. I don't think he and Kenzaki are that slashy in here but I guess if it floats your boat it could be :/

Kenzaki calls the restaurant, about a month after he disappears to wherever it is he has gone. The number is a payphone--Hajime looked it up--and the call is short, a few moments of laughter and joking with Amane before Haruka-san can call him inside. When Hajime's shaking fingers close around the headset, cradle it close to his ear, he is greeted by a dial tone.

Hajime hangs up, after a moment of waiting, of hoping.

"Hajime-san? What happened?" asks Amane, her hand tugging his sleeve.

"Nothing," answered Hajime, softly, smiling at her, "the call dropped. I'm sure he'll call again."

Amane smiles, sunny and sweet. "Aa. Why did he leave, Hajime-san?"

Hajime has been dreading the question; he has resolved to tell the truth, or whatever of it he can manage. "He had to, to protect everyone," he answers, patting her head.

"Will he ever come back?"

"I don't know," he admits, "what will come, will come Amane-chan."

Amane pouts. "You sound like Mama."

"And Mama says 'finish your homework, A-ma-ne'," calls Haruka-san from behind the bar.

Amane scowls, then drags Hajime off by the hand. "Help me," she orders.

Hajime blinks--"Amane-chan--"

"Pleaaaaaaase, Hajime-san?"

"Hai, hai," he answers, sighing.

\------------------------------

"Oh, the phone--" says Amane, some years later--"K-Kenzaki-kun?!"

Hajime scrambles to his feet, scooping the phone from her hands. He ignores her squawk and holds the phone close. "Kenzaki," he greets, in a low, even voice.

"...yo," answers Kenzaki. He sounds nervous.

"Why did you..."

"I don't know," answers Kenzaki, the words falling over themselves out of his mouth and into Hajime's ear to settle, firmly, in his mind, "I just--today was--bad."

"Bad _how_?" asks Hajime, suspicious.

He can hear Kenzaki blink, freeze--and laugh. "No, not like that," he says, firmly, "it's just--I missed everyone today."

"Why?" Hajime's question is quiet, deliberate.

"It's been--it's been fifteen years, is all... since _they_\--died," answers Kenzaki, his voice slumping like Hajime is sure his body is, too.

"I see," answers Hajime, frowning, "so you were lonely."

"We--well--I mean--Hajime, you--yeah. I guess."

"So you decided to call _me_?"

Kenzaki has no answer--not immediately, anyway. There is no sound, no movement, on the other end of the line, and Hajime fears Kenzaki has run off. "Kenzaki," he says.

"That does sound dumb, doesn't it," offers Kenzaki, and Hajime can hear him fighting back laughter, "I could have called _anyone_ and I choose _you_."

"I'm sure you can manage enough change to call Shirai," answers Hajime, raising a hand as Amane grumbles about annoying uncles. She suddenly grins.

"Tell him to call collect!" she suggests loudly, grinning.

Kenzaki can hear her, and he starts to laugh again. Hajime sketches a smile at her. "Amane-chan did always have the best ideas," comments Kenzaki, "Hajime, I--"

"We miss you, too," says Hajime, before he can think.

Kenzaki's quick intake of breath is audible, and he makes a sound that might be a sob but Hajime will never know for sure, because in that moment Kenzaki hangs up.

He doesn't call Kotaro.

\----------------------------------

The phone is ringing; Amane, half-asleep over her schoolbooks, answers sleepily. "Moshi moshi," she offers thickly.

"Amane-chan, we have to stop meeting like this."

"Kenzaki-san?! Should I go get Hajime-san?"

"No, no, it's fine," answers Kenzaki, "how are you, Amane-chan?"

"Tired," asserts Amane, "I guess Kenzaki-san doesn't know how to solve integrals?"

"I'm not _completely_ useless," grumbles Kenzaki, "integrals are those squiggly things, right?"

Amane feels like she's doomed, but she lets Kenzaki help her anyway.

She gets every problem wrong, but she laughs over it.


End file.
